Confinement of reaction components at electrode surface
A CO 2 reduction electrode includes an active layer on an electrode base. The active layer includes a polymer that includes one or more reaction components selected from a group consisting of a CO 2 reduction catalyst and an activator that bonds CO 2 so as to form a CO 2 reduction intermediate.
1. A device, comprising:
a CO 2 reduction electrode having an active layer on an electrode base, the active layer including a polymer that includes one or more reaction components selected from a group consisting of a CO 2 reduction catalyst and an activator that bonds CO 2 so as to form a CO 2 reduction intermediate;
wherein the polymer is represented by the following Formula I:
wherein m is greater than 0;
n is greater than 0;
p is greater than 0;
q is greater than or equal to 0;
S/C 1 represents a first sidechain that includes an organometallic CO 2 reduction catalyst,
S/C 2 represents a second sidechain that includes the activator selected from the group consisting of a carbene or an anime;
C/L represents a cross-linker that is bonded to the backbone of another polymer chain represented by Formula I or to another location on the backbone represented by Formula I;
R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 each represents nil, an alkylene, alkylene oxide, alkenylene, alkenylene oxide, bivalent ether, bivalent carbonate, arylene, bivalent amine, bivalent ester, or bivalent silane; and
R 9 and R 10 each represent S/C 1 , S/C 2 , C/L, a hydrogen, or halogen.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the polymer includes sidechains and at least a portion of the one or more reaction components are included in the sidechains.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the activator is a carbene.
4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the activator is an N-heterocyclic carbene.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the activator is an amine.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the active layer has a thickness less than 1 micron.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein is greater than 0.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is included in a solar fuels generator.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is included in an electrolysis device.
10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the active layer is a barrier between O 2 and the electrode base.
11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the active layer is a barrier between a liquid electrode and the electrode base.
12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the active layer comprises a pattern.
13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the pattern includes features with dimensions less than 100 microns.
14. The device of claim 12 , wherein the pattern is defined by recesses extending into the active layer or through the active layer.
15. The device of claim 14 , wherein a second CO 2 reduction catalyst is located in the recesses.
16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the second CO 2 reduction catalyst is not included in the polymer.
17. The device of claim 14 , wherein a second activator is located in the recesses.
18. The device of claim 1 , wherein the active layer includes a nanoparticle that acts as a second CO 2 reduction catalyst.